Administrator

U.S. Rep. Pete Stark -- one of two UUs in the House of Representatives
-- is a primary co-sponsor of a federal bill to allow states to give
seriously ill people legal access to medical marijuana. Seehttp://www.mpp.org/USA/bills_66.html for the text of H.R. 2592.

UUs for Drug Policy Reform (UUDPR) is pleased that Rep. Stark is acting
in accordance with the UUA's new drug policy Statement of Conscience,
which says, "End the practice of punishing an individual for obtaining,
possessing, or using an otherwise illegal substance to treat a medical
condition."

Unfortunately, U.S. Rep. Bob Barr (R-GA) will soon introduce legislation
to OPPOSE medical marijuana. Specifically, a medical marijuana
initiative will be on the ballot this November in Washington, D.C. --
and Rep. Barr will be introducing federal legislation to prevent it from
taking effect.

UUDPR Director of Communications Regina Deavers will soon be contacting
UUs who live in the districts of the 120 congressional "swing votes" on
this issue.

In the meantime, here's something that everyone can do:

ACTION ALERT:

* The U.S. House of Representatives is expected to vote in September on
whether it will either (1) allow D.C. voters to pass a medical marijuana
law on November 5, or (2) overturn the will of D.C. voters even before
they have a chance to vote on the initiative this November. To find out
who your U.S. Representative is and fax a pre-written letter on this
issue, please see http://www.mpp.org/DCI/action.html (This web page
also gives you the option of personalizing your letter.)

* When you receive a response from your U.S. Representative, please fax
a copy to UUs for Drug Policy Reform at 301-270-7276, or e-mailreginadeavers@uudpr.org to summarize his/her response.

* Forward this message to others in your congregation. Encourage your
minister and social action coordinator to get involved. Perhaps print
out a batch of pre-written letters and set up a table at coffee hour to
encourage others in your congregation to sign them.

* E-mail ReginaDeavers@uudpr.org to let her know if there are any
members of your congregation who are doctors, nurses, medical marijuana
users, or friends/relatives of people who have a need for medical
marijuana. UUDPR would like to work with them (and the rest of your
congregation) to convince your U.S. Representative to vote in September
in favor of allowing D.C. voters to legalize medical marijuana.

* Please visit http://www.uudpr.org to read the entire UUA drug policy
Statement of Conscience, and consider making a financial contribution to
enable us to do our work of giving public witness to it.

NOTE: The UUA Statement of Conscience also calls for the legalization
of marijuana for non-medical uses. However, the only federal
legislative activity specific to marijuana is limited to its medical
uses. Hopefully this is something that all UUs will support.